The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

The food being promoted through Montana Harvest of the Month for April is chickpeas. Harvest of the Month is a program which showcases Montana grown foods. You will see posters and events in the schools, other education facilities and healthcare...

There are three methods people can transfer their property to beneficiaries when they pass away. The three methods are: contractual arrangements, written wills or Montana intestate succession statutes (laws for those who did not have a written...

With the “spring forward” of the clocks this past weekend, it is a good reminder to give some attention to those forgotten, yet important household tasks which may be overdue. An important one to start with is your fire alarms. While testing the...

National Poison Prevention Week, March 21-27 How safe do you think your house is of poisonous household products? Poison is all around us, affecting anyone, anytime. The best preventative measure to avoid poisoning, is to take the time to look...

Twenty-four hours, 1440 minutes or 86,400 seconds per day. Regardless of how you think of it, every day has the same amount of time. But, somehow, it feels like the time in a day decreases the more tasks and responsibilities we face in our lives. Feb...

Heart Disease Risk Factors Every February is American Heart Month, raising awareness about preventing heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Approximately 47 percent of all Americans...

Have you been hearing about mindful eating but wonder what it means? Mindful eating helps us learn to listen to what our body is telling us about hunger and satisfaction. Mindful eating helps us focus on the present moment and the sensory pleasures...

Do you feel like you have been hit with a heavy brick at the beginning of the year when you realize how much you spent last year? Whether it was the holiday season, or you began collecting the required documentation for completing your taxes, it can...

As I was doing some laundry recently, after checking the laundry tag, I was reminded how many different laundry codes there are and how puzzling they can be. If you are someone who follows laundering labels, have you noticed there are no longer any...

During the chilly months, we rely on appliances and equipment to keep our living and work areas warm. Please be aware fossil fuel burning appliances and equipment produce carbon monoxide. Some of these include gas and oil furnaces, boilers and water...

With the new year upon us, many are hoping 2021 will be much different than 2020. Reflecting on the past year, have you considered what you might do differently in the new year? Were there parts of this year which you want to ditch yet parts which...

The enjoyment and focus of the holidays should not include getting sick from eating foods which were improperly cooked, cooled and/or held at improper temperatures. Here are reminders about preparing and keeping food safe: • Properly cleaning...

With so much of our lives happening online this year, protecting our personal information is even more important. One sure way to keep your personal information from getting into the hands of those you do not want to have your information is to use...

In the last article about diabetes monitoring, weight was included in the list as one of the items to track to help manage diabetes. While there are many ways to maintaining weight, food is typically the first one people with diabetes have the most q...

To continue the theme of American Diabetes month in November, self-care for people with diabetes is important and necessary to manage the chronic condition. Self-care can help people with diabetes feel better and reduce the risks of complications....

November is observed as American Diabetes Month. This is an opportunity to share information about diabetes, making people aware of what it is and why it is important to manage diabetes when diagnosed or even prevent it.34. What is diabetes? Simply...

Before we know, the temperature will be dropping. Before it gets too cold, take advantage of the current temperatures, and prepare your home or apartment for the winter. Here are some ideas to get you started. 1. Check seals around doors and windows:... Full story

I cannot let September slip by without putting information out about this month being National Sewing Month. The past six months have sparked a surge of more people sewing. Motivations of why people sew vary from stress reliever to a way to save...

FRIDAY FOOD PRESERVATION 101 Finding your freezer stuffed and no room to put your fresh seasonal produce to enjoy this winter? Canning may be your answer. Canning does require some specific steps to ensure a safe, shelf-stable product. Montana State...

If you love working with wool fabric, yarn or fiber, the Make It With Wool (MIWW) Contest needs you! If you knit, crochet, spin, weave, sew or quilt, consider entering the MIWW contest this fall. The MIWW contest promotes the beauty and versatility...

Quick Pickles Maybe canning cucumbers for pickles is not for you but you still have those fresh cucumbers? An easy alternative is to make quick pickles in the refrigerator. Great tasting, very easy and ready in a few hours! Try this recipe for a...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate using alcohol-based hand sanitizer which contains at least 60% alcohol. Think all hand sanitizer is the same? If it is labelled alcohol hand sanitizer, it should all be safe to use,...

More fraud and scam terms to discuss this week… Smishing is short for “SMS phishing”. The scammer sends a text message or SMS (Short Message Service) with a phone number or link claiming to be connected to your bank or another company. They...

Continuing the topic of fraud and scams from last week’s article, it may help to know some terminology and understanding of how scammers operate to get your personal information. This week’s term is phishing. Phishing Scammer sends a fake email,...

Reports of fraud and scams have, unfortunately, become a normal part of our lives. It can happen to anyone. As the fastest growing segment of the population in the United States, older adults are especially targeted and uniquely vulnerable to...